World News - A SUPERPOWER IN DECLINE America's Middle Class Has Become Globalization's Loser

At the beginning of the 21st century, the United States is still a superpower. But it's a superpower facing competition from beyond its borders as well as internal difficulties. Its lower & middle classes are turning out to be the losers of globalization. There are essentially 3 exclusive characteristics whose simultaneous development have served as the foundations of the United States's success up until now -- and they only appear in this particular combination in America. They are not only the country's biggest strengths, but also its greatest weaknesses. It's worth scrutinizing them more closely. First, nowhere in the world can you find such a high concentration of optimism and daring. America is the country that strives hardest for what is new -- not just since yesterday (like Eastern Europeans) and not just for the last three decades (like the Chinese); rather from the very instant settlers began arriving. Unabashed curiosity seems to be hardwired into the nation's genetic code... http://www.spiegel.de

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has not apologized for a nuclear test but said he had no plans for a second test while reserving Pyongyang's options if the crisis escalates, China said on Tuesday. Kim's nuclear test on October 9 drew regional condemnation and U.N. sanctions backed by China, his reclusive state's long-time supporter. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice toured Asia rallying support for sanctions and Chinese envoy Tang Jiaxuan visited Pyongyang.South Korean and Japanese media reports said Kim had told Tang he regretted the difficulties the test had caused China.On Tuesday, however, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao denied the reports, which had stirred hopes that Kim was drawing back from confrontation....http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061024/ts_nm/korea_north_dc

The European Union endorsed an agreement with the United States to facilitate the exchange of information between EU and U.S. prosecutors on terrorism and cross-border criminal cases, it said on Tuesday.The deal, endorsed by EU ministers on Monday, will allow the EU-wide prosecutors' office Eurojust to exchange information with U.S. counterparts on cases under investigation, said Maarit Loimukoski, a member of Eurojust representing the Finnish EU Presidency. "It will facilitate the cooperation," said Loimukoski, one of the 25 prosecutors and judges who work at Eurojust's headquarters in The Hague. The deal, to be signed between the European Union and the United States on November 6, follows a series of post-9/11 EU-U.S. agreements, including one on sharing of transatlantic air passenger data clinched this month after tough negotiations. ...http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2602602

Security has been tightened in the Chad capital, N'Djamena, amid reports that rebels are moving towards the city. A BBC correspondent says that tanks are stationed in key areas, such as outside the presidential palace, and military vehicles are on patrol. Troops have been recalled to base despite the Muslim holiday of Eid - the biggest festival of the year in Chad. The rebels began their offensive in the east at the weekend but are now said to be near the central town of Mongo. The BBC's Stephanie Hancock in Chad says there are reports that the outskirts of the capital are heavily fortified with government troops. Rapid advance On Monday night, the rebels claimed to have seized the town of Am Timan, some 600km from N'Djamena but they are now reported to be just five hours' drive from the capital. The government has denied that Am Timan had fallen and urged the capital's residents to stay calm. ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6079772.stm

Brazilian firm CVRD has become the world's second-biggest mining company, after securing its C$19bn ($17bn; £9bn) takeover of Canadian nickel miner Inco. CVRD has bought 76% of Inco shares for C$15bn, and says it intends to buy the remainder for the same price - C$86 per share - by 3 November. The Brazilian firm, already the world's largest iron ore miner, will now be the largest nickel producer as well. It is the second-largest miner overall, behind Anglo-Australian BHP Billiton. Canadian assurances CVRD says it plans to dissolve Inco's board and delist the company's shares on both the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. But to ensure approval for the takeover by Canadian authorities, CVRD has agreed to base its nickel business in Toronto, with the unit having a Canadian chief operating officer and senior Canadian management. ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6081390.stm

After 24 hours of house-to-house searches in an upscale Baghdad neighborhood, the U.S. military still had not found a U.S. soldier who was missing and believed kidnapped.U.S. and Iraqi forces threw a security cordon around the central Karradah district on Monday night and Iraqis seeking to pass through the downtown area on Tuesday were turned away at roadblocks. Army Kiowa OH-58 reconnaissance helicopters were seen repeatedly circling the area in pairs.U.S. soldiers patrolling Karradah showed photocopies of the man’s photograph to residents in a search for leads. The missing soldier’s name and other personal details have not been officially released, although American troops who raided Baghdad’s al-Furat TV on Monday said they were looking for an abducted American officer of Iraqi descent who went to join family members in Karradah....http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15395225/